Payton Wilson

Drafted 98th overall by the steelers!

 

I would have drafted Ulofoshio from UW, but okay. I am not a fan of thin linebackers.

 

Definitely a lot of speed, if he stays healthy he has a shot.

 

Not a fan with injuries for a pick 3. If he was projected to be a top 15 and fell, sure. But a 5th if where I would get him with those knee injuries.

Anyhow here's what he said.....

"Throughout my career, early in my career, I did have a lot of injuries," Wilson said at the Combine. "But these last two years, I've stayed really healthy -- put on some extra weight. I've really honed in on nutrition and maintenance programs to keep me healthy. I think what I have going on is gonna keep me playing a long time in the NFL and I'm not scared of injuries. At the end of the day, they're inevitable and I'm going to play every single play like it's my last. Whatever happens, happens". Playing every play like it's his last is exactly the mentality the Cowboys defense needs after surrending 48 points in their most important game of last season.

 

I do have to say that if he put on a Geek Squad shirt and was behind the counter at Best Buy, he would look like he belongs there.....he has that kind of a look......lol

Hopefully he has some good years in him and we don't see 3 games and out for the season with a knee injury. He is a steal so late in the numbers by the estimates of where he should go in the draft, so hopefully we got away with one here (or actually 4.....3 cheers for Omar!)

 

Im watching tape on this guy. If he stays healthy, he is a tackling machine. He is 6-4 he can cover tightends!

 

We never know. Lloyd was injury prone early on but turned out to be great.

 

Injuries aside, he is the best linebacker on tape. Period!

 

Lol he only has 1 ACL, missing the other. Hines was the same. Both 3rd rounders.

 

Yup. Love how he sifts through blockers to find the ball.

 

High risk, high reward….to me that is worth a 3rd round comp pick.

 

I'm onboard with this guy after watching tape. 6'4" and that fast? If he can get on the field this year and learn from Queen...

 

Dude definitely can play but he needs to seriously learn how to shed blockers a lot quicker. That isn't going to do him any good in the NFL if he cannot stack shed for opposing IOL are gonna eat him alive. Other than Play Strength, Play Recognition also needs some work.... though that can be said for every ILB; Edgerrin Cooper the same though not nearly as much.


All in all though, one of the best value picks from the 2024 Draft. Wilson has been healthy the past two seasons so fingers crossed he can stay healthy. If that is the case, he and Queen are gonna become one hell of a 1-2 punch for Payton can play.

 

Wilson looks like he needs to get stronger, maybe gain 5-10 pounds.

 

Agreed.


If that sacrifices some speed... so be it. If not weight gain?! Weight training; vast emphasis on core and lower body. That is where he can gain the most and increase his play strength as well.

 

he ended up doing that and played with weight. I'm not sure if he'll want to add more

 

He may be trying to manage the weight and his knee issues. Get him into some NFL conditioning circles and we'll see where he goes from there.

You'd think that most colleges with sports medicine programs would have good training programs, but I guess being a student athlete limits some of the stuff you can do as opposed to when it's your sole job to train and play football for a living.

 

He is light in the pants, get working out young fella.

 

How much bigger you want him? 15 more pounds puts him in TJ Watt OLB territory. I think he'll maybe put some more muscle on by year 2, but he just needs some functional strength work.

 

THIS is how you answer a question like that. Welcome to the Steelers! Let's GO!!

 

Him adding another 5lbs or more won't hurt, it will help when he has to shed blocks from OL.

 

Seeing his speed, instincts and solid agility, I also have dreams of a VERY big SS or a third hybrid LB/S. In this pass happy day and age, having a very big safety that can cover and suport the run, nothing wrong with that. Maybe just semantics, but he may need to play a bit further off the line...a deep LB or shallow saftey to monitor/cover TEs or attack the run.

If Austin has ANY creativity, this is the player to make a ROVER if you will...a poor mans Polamalu. I'd take that and dance until I dropped.